Sly Cooper. 3 and 4 aren't as good as 1 and 2, but none of them are bad.

The original Spyro trilogy on PS1. I can't lump all of them together, and I consider naming the first three to be fair. PS2 had good Spyro games, too. Even Enter the Dragonfly isn't really bad. Hero's Tail is pretty good. I had a DS one, but I don't remember what really happened except Red returning. Skylanders is not a Spyro game. GBA ones really aren't bad either, I guess. Only played the first Legend of Spyro one, and it's rather repetitive.

I can think of plenty of two-game "series", but it gets a lot more difficult after that. Maybe that's the cut-off point; after two games, you can count on the developer or publisher to keep churning out more and more sequels. One is bound to suck eventually.

I was going to say Commander Keen, but then I noticed they released a new one in 2001...

Maybe that's the cut-off point; after two games, you can count on the developer or publisher to keep churning out more and more sequels.

I think companies will try to milk franchises a bit more after three games, but they might not pump out actual sequels. For instance, Jak & Daxter had a racing game for their fourth game. Like, the companies don't really want to do anything more with the plot of the series, but they want to get some extra money for their next project or something. The Witcher series covers a book for its plot so now that the trilogy of games is basically finished they have nothing more they can add, but they've built two more games for the series. One being for mobile devices and another as a board game for computers. They probably just want some extra cash to help fund cyberpunk 2077.

Now maybe I'm wrong and companies are milking things just for the money. But I think those only after money would build the games into a franchise and continue to expand the series endlessly.

Each FF game has flaws, but they're all very enjoyable regardless. Speaking of which, FF13, which you haven't played, has a very good storyline and the linearity highlights the fact that the characters are being hunted as monsters.

I don't need to play FF13 to know that a series of hallways is not how you make an RPG.

The guys over at Squeenix seem to think so and have explicitly said that you can't tell a good story if the players have too much freedom...oh, and the story is in fact, not good, KrisKnox. It's about a group of unlikable anime stereotypes who are chosen by a vague divine creature to fulfill a task. What orders does it give them? Nothing. Instead, it gives them unclear visions of Ragnarok. So, as Spoony points out - "It could range from assassinating the president to covering his car in blueberry waffles" or something along those lines. So, it turns out some Pope guy or whatever named Barthandelus wants them to beat up some other vague divine monster called Orphan so the world will die. The heroes do it knowing full well that it will destroy the world.

And the lore is spread out in text logs you unlock during the course of the hallway. What a way to tell a bad story. So in conclusion, the story is written without any semblance of coherent structure, if you want to learn things, there's no useful exposition (no audience proxy anyways for the player to relate to), and you need to read the Wiki to understand or spoil the entire story in some way like I did.

And don't forget - the Fal'cie can talk...but the one who gives the heroes their quest decides not to in order to drag out the story even further for no reason.

...and orphan talks like a pretentious jerk to sound all mystical and powerful when he's a clock with a stupid high pitched voice after beating p his first form.

@Punisher:
Age of Empires? You do realize that they also put out this right? That doesn't look like your kind of game...

Apart from that, I think the Europa Universalis series is great. I played all four games and loved them all. Also Bioshock seems pretty decent all around (though I do think it is perhaps a bit overrated).

If you mean that the Baldur's Gate series also includes a bunch of other shit, then I whole-heartedly agree. If, however, you are implying that the original two are not some of the most magnificient RPGs of all time, then BOO! Go for the eyes!

If you mean that the Baldur's Gate series also includes a bunch of other shit, then I whole-heartedly agree. If, however, you are implying that the original two are not some of the most magnificient RPGs of all time, then BOO! Go for the eyes!

I have the enhanced edition on Steam and played a game with another who is into D&D as well and we both despised it. Not only does it not play like a D&D game (there really needs to be what is basically Tabletop Simulator, which is amazing, but solely dedicated to D&D with all the edition books you could want up to a certain period where Wizards of the Coast really won't care if you have everything that easily accessible), but even if it didn't have the D&D name slapped onto it, it's still suck.

I mean, it was funny when my team mate was being chased around a table by some dude and then I walked into the building, scored a crit, and made him splatter, but that's pretty much it. After that, we were being screwed over by travelling launching us into unwinnable fights with bandits, getting jumped by hordes of enemies in a dungeon when trying to rest, and getting cheaply poisoned by some particularly nasty spiders.

Then we got a a tower full of traps and got sick of all the spells that basically removed our ability to play the game. We got to Baldur's Gate...and boy, was it boring. Nothing to do, confusing city, let-down merchants. Bah. Not a good game.

In case you are wondering or even give a shit, I've also played Neverwinter Nights which sucks, Neverwinter which sucks and it not D&D in the slightest (take a first level halfling ranger and give him Kratos speed and strikes dealing hundreds of damage...), I've played Planescape: Torment which should had only been a proper novel in the first place (I know they wrote one later which was just the dialogue from the game crunched together), and maybe one other but maybe not.

I have not played Baldur's Gate 2. I do not believe there has been a D&D video game that is faithful to the source material and fun and engaging at the same time. Or with a proper battle system.

All though, I do like getting Mazed.

Oh, and here is my current character, who is currently on sabbatical, if you wish to hire him for a quest. My price is 10,000 gold pieces.

...actually, a play by post or some other system would be cool among Dinkers. Hmm. Someone throw that together. Maybe I'll join in if you let me.

There are "main" series were there arent any bad games however most of them have crappy spinoffs
-Warcraft series is best example (Although Warcraft 1 hasnt aged well its atleast ok for its time I played the Demo of it)
-Warcraft 2 was near perfect it was better then the first warcraft EVERY CONCEIVABLE WAY
-Warcraft 3 is still very good Although I didnt like the Bonus Orc campaign in the Frozen Throne which is basically a pseudo-World of Warcraft

I have to admit that Fallout 3 is more of a "meh" title. I grinded to max level (without the DLC's increased cap) then proceeded to the main questline eventually.

This questline is entirely rubbish. It's linear as hell, short, has a poor story, and a bad ending which showcased my female character as a man with a dog.

The gameplay was passable, although enemies take way too long to kill and Super Mutants should be renamed "Repetitiveness Elementals".

The music almost doesn't exist.

Perk system is underwhelming and barely powers up your character.

Enemies scale so the devs didn't have to make more monsters, and so the player doesn't technically progress.

Morality system has zero impact on the game. I was as evil as possible and all that did was send some guys after me from time to time which I killed, and give me the choice to sell ears. Bandits should be worshiping me at this point.

I have the enhanced edition on Steam and played a game with another who is into D&D as well and we both despised it.

That sounds like your first mistake, to be honest. From everything I've seen, the Enhanced Edition is trash. The only reason it's gotten decent scores on review sites is because the reviewer morons reviewed Baldur's Gate, not the "enhanced" edition of it.

Also, playing a CRPG with a friend? That's the surest way to kill all immersion, in my experience, and your example of finding being chased around a table (and presumably laughing about it with your friend) the funniest part reinforces that. It sounds to me like some crappy MMORPG would be more your speed.

I mean, it was funny when my team mate was being chased around a table by some dude and then I walked into the building, scored a crit, and made him splatter, but that's pretty much it. After that, we were being screwed over by travelling launching us into unwinnable fights with bandits, getting jumped by hordes of enemies in a dungeon when trying to rest, and getting cheaply poisoned by some particularly nasty spiders.

That's the old school experience. The game doesn't cradle you like an imbecilic baby; you might actually run into enemies that you can't defeat yet. Especially if you just set off wandering around the map as soon as the intro finishes and expect the encounters to scale to your level. Baldur's Gate isn't even particularly difficult - the first Fallout is probably tougher in that regard, for example.

Then we got a a tower full of traps and got sick of all the spells that basically removed our ability to play the game.

Durlag's Tower? Again, not the kind of place you should be exploring shortly after starting the game. Not sure how you even got past the Helmed Horrors acting as gate guardians.

We got to Baldur's Gate...and boy, was it boring. Nothing to do, confusing city, let-down merchants. Bah. Not a good game.

I didn't particularly like the city and wandering around and trying to find places either, but nothing to do? The city is choked full of quests and even lots of fights and monsters to kill.

In case you are wondering or even give a shit, I've also played Neverwinter Nights which sucks,

Okay, on that I completely agree. It's a ducking MMORPG without actually being an MMORPG, and as such it's just a big, empty, dead world.

I've played Planescape: Torment which should had only been a proper novel in the first place (I know they wrote one later which was just the dialogue from the game crunched together), and maybe one other but maybe not.

I think you probably just don't like RPGs. Planescape: Torment has some serious issues (such as the pacing: you spend 10 hours straight just speaking to random people, then 5 hours straight fighting things), but the game world, the characters? It's a wonderful thing in some ways.

I'm actually curious if you've played Fallout 1, or Arcanum, and if you hated those games too?

That sounds like your first mistake, to be honest. From everything I've seen, the Enhanced Edition is trash. The only reason it's gotten decent scores on review sites is because the reviewer morons reviewed Baldur's Gate, not the "enhanced" edition of it.

I don't think there's even much difference. It's pretty much a 16.9 version with all the DLC, isn't it?

Also, playing a CRPG with a friend? That's the surest way to kill all immersion, in my experience, and your example of finding being chased around a table (and presumably laughing about it with your friend) the funniest part reinforces that. It sounds to me like some crappy MMORPG would be more your speed.

I don't get immersed in most games, least of which, RPGs which are usually rather bland with boring lore.

That's the old school experience. The game doesn't cradle you like an imbecilic baby; you might actually run into enemies that you can't defeat yet. Especially if you just set off wandering around the map as soon as the intro finishes and expect the encounters to scale to your level. Baldur's Gate isn't even particularly difficult - the first Fallout is probably tougher in that regard, for example.

But the game can randomly push you into encounters with extremely powerful bandits just by travelling. That's just punishing you for trying to lessen boring walking.

Durlag's Tower? Again, not the kind of place you should be exploring shortly after starting the game. Not sure how you even got past the Helmed Horrors acting as gate guardians.

What Helmed Horrors?

I didn't particularly like the city and wandering around and trying to find places either, but nothing to do? The city is choked full of quests and even lots of fights and monsters to kill.

...what quests?

Okay, on that I completely agree. It's a ducking MMORPG without actually being an MMORPG, and as such it's just a big, empty, dead world.

Yes, but at least I made a monk called Baldy McNutPunch.

I think you probably just don't like RPGs. Planescape: Torment has some serious issues (such as the pacing: you spend 10 hours straight just speaking to random people, then 5 hours straight fighting things), but the game world, the characters? It's a wonderful thing in some ways.

Don't get me wrong, I like the Planescape setting. It's got some cool stuff, but I want to play a game, not read a novel.

I'm actually curious if you've played Fallout 1, or Arcanum, and if you hated those games too?

I don't think there's even much difference. It's pretty much a 16.9 version with all the DLC, isn't it?

There's no DLC for Baldur's Gate save the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion. (Durlag's Tower, werewolf island, scimitars and a larger level cap is mostly everything it adds)

I dunno if the EE is bad enough to ruin the experience for a first timer, but all the changes they did sound like things that would just make the game worse. The "Enhanced" Edition uses the BG2 engine, which means that graphics are uglier (especially the character sprites, and 'paper dolls', ie. the pictures of your character on the inventory screen), some functionality is lost (such as clicking NPCs multiple times to get funny comments out of them, the same way as in WarCraft 2 for example), and all balance is screwed with the inclusion of dual-wielding and prestige classes from BG2. (Level 1 monk = shit shit shit) They also probably removed the level caps, so that you will become a godlike power machine halfway through the game and the rest is a complete bore. They added a couple of poorly written NPC followers / romance partners, and a new hack'n'slash dungeon that you can only access from the title screen or something.

I haven't played the Enhanced Edition myself, and never will. However, I have a strong suspicion that watching these two videos one after the other is a perfect analog for what was done to the whole game:

I don't get immersed in most games, least of which, RPGs which are usually rather bland with boring lore.

Right, so you don't really like RPGs in general. That puts your outrageous, foolish, unreasonable and incredibly wrong claim that Baldur's Gate is not a masterpiece into a slightly more fathomable perspective.

But the game can randomly push you into encounters with extremely powerful bandits just by travelling. That's just punishing you for trying to lessen boring walking.

Sure, the hordes of bow-using bandits can decimate your party in the beginning, but you can always just flee from those encounters.

What Helmed Horrors?

If they're not there, that's probably just another change for the worse by the EE.

...what quests?

Lots of quests and things to see and do in each section of the city. Just look at the map: Baldur's Gate Docks

Halo 2 started the whole full regenerating health thing Halo 1 had a hybrid system which I thought had a nice balanced to it.
After your sheilds are gone you had health bars that you must find health packs to replenish.

i hear the lords of shadow games are pretty assy too, but i haven't played those. simon's quest is kinda good, but the high level of cryptic bullshit to sell magazines and the day to night transitions and everything to do with day and night is shitduck.

really? i think that thing's one of the worst. what were nintendo thinking when they shunned brand new, fully functioning, perfected disc technology in favour of cartridges? the lag, the non-smoothed edges, the lack of ram unless you buy an extension! D:

Mine must be good quality one or something. It runs smoothly. I know that the n64 system has a thing about freezing and that you have to reset it. I found away around that though. Put it on a chair. It has to be off the ground.

Anyway, HoftL is often found in lists of the worst NES games of all time. I know there have also been a number of bad D&D games prior to the release of Baldur's Gate. I remember Descent to Undermountain being widely panned and the 3rd edition update to Pools of Radiance being kind of garbage.

I also didn't care much for the Eye of the Beholder series, but I know it has its fans.

Skurnwell, it's in a shelf. i don't get why one surface would be better.

maybe you just use the expansion pak.

Well if you put it on a chair with a padded seat it is not subjected to, to many vibrations. When it's on the floor it is on a hard solid surface that makes it vulnerable to foot step, a book falling of a shelf, and earthquake vibrations. As for the expansion pack, I do not own one, well it might have one, we got the system used.

To counter Baphomet's claim for the 64 (I do love the 64 though) how's your favorite game of, 'Superman 64' or at least the story driven game of, 'Quest 64', or the hit classic, 'Skurn's Swinger Soiree 64'.

The Robot Wants _____ series was all pretty good, IMO. I have high hopes for the last installment, as the closed beta seems pretty fun so far, but the previous five were all good, if somewhat different from each other...